Fuse link stick



Dec. 21, 1937.

FUSE LINK STICK Filed Oct. 26, 1956 A fro/am? Y c A. FOX 2,102,894

Patented Dec. 21, 1937 PATENT OFFICE FUSE LINK STICK Charles Adin Fox, St.

Louis, vMo., assignor to James H. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application October 26, 1936, Serial No. 107,725

11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an improved device for applying fuse links to electrical fuse switches and morespecifically to a fuse link stick adaptedfor use in applying fuse links to a fuse switch of the type disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent filed in the names Walter A. Heinrich and Charles Adin Fox on May 20, 1935, Serial No. 22,409, which matured into Patent No. 2,086,028, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a fuse link stick which is of such unique construction that the task of applying fuse links to a fuse switch of the type disclosed in the application for patent aforesaid is very greatly simplified.

Prior to this invention fuse links were applied to fuse switches of the type disclosed in the application for patent hereinbefore identified with the aid of an ordinary switch tool which comprised a stick having a laterally extended finger at its outer end. A loop at one end of the fuse link was passed over the lateral finger of the stick and the link hung downwardly from this finger with its lower end uncontrolled so that said lower end of the link was free to swing. With the fuse link so associated with the stick it was elevated to the position of the overhead fuse switch and the lower portion of the fuse link was connected to the lower resilient contact of the switch after which the stick was raised to move the outer end of the lower contact of the switch upwardly against the resiliency thereof whereupon the upper portion of the fuse link was connected to the upper contact of the switch and the stick was removed. I

It was found in applying fuse links to the fuse switches in the manner described that it was frequently a difficult taskto quickly associate a fuse link with a fuse switch because of the tendency for the lower portion of the fuse link to swing. This condition resulted from the fact that the length of the stick made for unsteadiness at the upper end thereof which caused the lower end of the fuse link to swing, and also swinging movement of the lower end portion of the fuse link was caused or increased when wind was blowing.

In view of the foregoing I have devised the improved fuse link stick disclosed herein which, briefly stated, includes a laterally extended finger at its outer end over which a loop at the upper end of the fuse link is'passed just as was the case heretofore when an ordinary switch tool was employed for applying the fuse link to a fuse switch. However, instead of permitting the lower end portion of the fuse link to hang free so that it might swing, the improve'dfuse link stick is provided with a spring-controlled element which engages a loop at the lower end of the fuse link so that the fuse link is held rigid between the lateral finger at the upper end 5 of the fuse link stick and this spring-controlled element. Thus no movement of the fuse linkrelative to the stick is permitted and, therefore, the lower end portion of the fuse link may be very conveniently connected to the lower contact 10 of the switch after which the stick may be moved upwardly to elevate the outer end of the lower contact of the switch so that said lower contact is tensioned, whereupon the upper portion of the fuse link may be attached to the upper con tact of the switch and the fuse link stick removed from engagement with the fuse link. 7

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the fuse link stick showing same with a fuse link associated therewith. H a "20 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section of the link stick with a fuse link associated therewith.

'Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line3-3 of N Fig. 2. @5

Fig. 4 is a side elevation on a reducedscale illustrating the manner in which a fuse'link is applied to a fuse switch with the aid of the fuse link stick of the present invention. a X

Fig. '5 is a fragmentary plan view of the outer 3o portion of the upper contact of the fuse switch illustrated in Fig. 4 showing the manner in which the fuse link is gripped by said upper contact.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for the'purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the fuse link stick generally. The fuse link stick A comprises a pole or stick I of the required length at the outer or upper end of which a head 2 is fixed, this head being provided with a rigid, laterally ex- 40 tended finger 3 having an enlarged outer end portion 4. As will presently appear herein the finger 3 receives in embracing relation therewith the upper loop of a fuse link associated with the fuse link stick and'this enlarged end portion 4 is to prevent the fuse link fuse from accidentally slipping off of the finger. v

Mounted on the stick I at a point downwardly or inwardly with respect to the head 2 .is means for engaging the lower end portion of a fuse link associated with the fuse link stick. This means comprises a clamping band 5 which embraces the stick I, said band being provided with outwardly extended ears 6 through apertures in which a clamping bolt 1 is extended. At

the side of the stick opposite to that at which the ears 6 are located the clamping band is provided with spaced apart extensions 8 which are formed by portions Ba of the clamping band that are extended outwardly and bent rearwardly upon themselves to provide two ply extensions The rearwardly bent portions 3b are joined at their inner ends by a portion 3c which is curved to conform to the transverse curvature of the stock I and this portion 80 contacts with the face of the stick.

Pivoted to the extensions 8 through the instrumentality of a pivot element 9 is a fuse link-engaging element In which is of substantial U-shaped formation when viewed in plan. As

is shown to the best advantage in Figs. 1 and 3 the bridge end of the U-shaped element I is at the front thereof and the opposed parallel side portions Illa of said element adjacent to the front end thereof are relatively close together. From the narrow forward portion of the element ID the side portions diverge as shown at lllb to parallel inner end portions I90 and these inner end portions are provided with apertures through which the pivot element 9 extends, said pivot element being extended also through apertures formed in the extensions 8 of the clamping band 5. Arranged about the pivot element 9 is a torsional coilspring ll, one end portion Ila of said coilspring being in engagement with one of the extensions 8 of the clamping band and the opposite end portion of said coilspring being in engagement with a portion of the element Ill. The arrangement of the torsional coilspring is such that it tends to move the outer end of the fuse link-engaging element 5!! about the pivot element 9 to the downwardly extended position in which it is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Adjacent to the outer end of the fuse linkengaging element ill a stop member I2 is disposed between the parallel side portions I Ila. This stop member, which is secured in place by rivets l3, may be formed of fiber or other suitable material and it extends slightly beyond the lower faceof said link-engaging element as shown at l2 in Figs. 1 and 2. This stop member strikes the stick I when the link-engaging element is moved to its lowered position by the torsional coilspring and thus prevents said link-engaging element from marring the stick. Also the parallel side portions Illa of the narrow forward portion of the link-engaging element I!) are provided with alined notches I4 which, as will presently appear herein receive a portion of the lower loop of a fuse link associated with the fuse link stick A.

As illustrated in Fig. 4 the fuse switch with which the fuse link stick A is employed comprises an insulator B on which is mounted an upper terminal C and a lower terminal D, said insulator also being provided with a band E which forms a part of the bracket means for supporting the switch. Associated with the upper terminal C is an upper contact F and associated with the lower terminal D is a lower contact G" which is provided with a coiled portion H that imparts to said lower contact the necessary resiliency. The outer end portion of the upper contact is formed as shown in Fig. 5; that is to say the forwardly extended parallel portions Fa are bent rearwardly upon themselves as shown at F1) to provide gripping portions into either of which the upper cable of the fuse link may be drawn to electrically and mechanically connect the fuse link to the upper contact. The outer portion of the lower contact G of the fuse switch is provided with similar gripping portions into either of which the lower cable of the fuse link may be drawn to electrically and mechanically connect the fuse link to the lower contact.

The fuse link used with the fuse switch illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises an upper cable J and a lower cable L, said upper cable being provided at its outer end with a loop J and the lower cable being provided with a loop L at its outer end. The inner ends of the cables J and L are connected by a fusible element (not shown) which is surrounded by an expulsion tube M and the fuse link includes a coilspring N which serves to quickly separate the ruptured ends of the fusible element when the fuse link blows. Also the fuse link includes collars P fixed to the cables J and L which are adapted to contact with the upper and lower contacts of the fuse switch.

In the use of the fuse link stick A a fuse link is applied to the fuse link stick as shown in Fig. 1; that is to say the loop J of the upper cable is passed over the finger 3 at the upper end of the fuse link stick and the loop L of the lower cable is passed over the outer end of the element l0 and is seated in the notches l4 thereof. The fuse link stick is then elevated and the portion of the lower cable of the fuse link above the collar P thereof is drawn into one of the gripping portions of the lower contact G of the fuse switch. When the lower cable of the fuse link has been drawn to a position where it is tightly gripped by one of the gripping portions of the lower contact, the fuse link stick is elevated so as to move the outer end portion of the lower contact upwardly against the spring action of the coiled portion H of said lower contact. The portion of the upper cable J below the collar P thereof is then drawn into one of the gripping portions of the upper contact and when said upper cable is tightly gripped by said gripping portion the fuse link stick is removed and the fuse switch is fused. It is to be noted that because the lower portion of the fuse link is engaged by the element l0 which is urged downwardly by the coilspring ii, the fuse link is held against the swinging movement heretofore present whereby the fuse link may be very conveniently associated with the fuse switch in the manner described. It is also to be noted that after the lower cable of the fuse link has been attached to the lower switch contact and the fuse link stick is moved upwardly to attach the upper cable to the upper switch contact, manipulation of the fuse stick causes the loop of the lower cable of the fuse link to be detached from the pivotally mounted element l8 and therefore to remove the fuse link stick it is necessary, merely, that the finger 3 be withdrawn from the loop of the upper cable of the fuse link.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate clearly that the finger 3 and the link-engaging element H] are extended from the stick I at an angle approximately ninety degrees with respect to each other when the link-engaging element is in its elevated operative position. By so arranging these parts the fuse link is held in a position which facilitates convenient application of said fuse link to the upper and lower contacts of a fuse switch.

I claim:

1. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element mounted on said pole in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage theother end portion of the fuse link, and means for moving a part of said second element in a direction away from the first-mentioned element so as to hold the fuse link engaged by said elements under tension.

2. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element disposed in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, and spring means for moving a part of said second element in a direction away from the firstmentioned element so as to hold the fuse link engaged by said elements under tension.

'3. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element rigidly mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element disposed in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, and spring means for moving a part of said second element in a direction away from the first-rnentioned element so as to hold the fuse link engaged by said elements under tension.

4. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an ele ment mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a Second element disposed in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, and means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, said means comprising a member clamped to said pole to which said second element is pivotally attached.

5. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element disposed in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, said means comprising a member clamped to said pole to which said second element is pivotally attached, and spring means which tends to move said second element in one direction.

6. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element disposed in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, said means comprising a member clamped to said pole to which said second element is pivotally attached, and torsional spring means which tends to move said second element in one direction.

'7. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element rigidly mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element disposed'in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, said means comprising a member clamped to said pole to which said second element is pivotally attached, and spring means which tends to move said second element in one direc-. tion.

8. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an ele-, ment mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element mounted on said pole in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, and means for moving a part of the second element in a direction away from the firstmentioned element so as to hold the fuse link engaged by said elements under tension, the first mentioned element and the second mentioned element being extended from the pole at an angle with respect to each other. 7

9. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a secondelement mounted on said pole in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, and means for moving a part of the second element in a direction away from the first-mentioned element so as to hold the fuse link engaged by said elements under tension, the first mentioned element and the second mentioned element being extended from the pole at an angle of approximately ninety degrees with respect to each other.

10. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element disposed in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, said means comprising a member clamped to said pole to which said second element is pivotally attached, spring means which tends to move said second element in one direction, and stop means carried by said second element adapted to contact with the pole when said second element has been moved by said spring means.

11. A fuse link stick comprising a pole, an element mounted on said pole and adapted to engage an end portion of a fuse link, a second element disposed in spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned element and adapted to engage the other end portion of the fuse link, means for movably attaching the second element to said pole, said means comprising a member clamped to said pole to which said second element is pivotally attached, and means which tends to move said second element in one direction.

CHARLES ADIN FOX. 

